EN   EN 
 
 
 EUROPEAN  
COMMISSION   
Brussels, XXX   
[…](2021) XXX  draft  
 
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION  
of XXX  
on the harmonised use of the paired frequency bands 874.4 -880.0  MHz and 919.4 -
925.0  MHz and of the unpaired frequency band 1900 -1910 MHz for Railway Mobile 
Radio  
(Text with EEA relevance)   EN 1  EN COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION  
of XXX  
on the harmonised use of the paired frequency bands 874.4 -880.0  MHz and 919.4 -
925.0  MHz and of the unpaired frequency band 1900 -1910 MHz for Railway Mobile 
Radio  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union , 
Having regard to Decision No 676/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Co uncil of 
7 March 2002 on a regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy in the European 
Community (Radio Spectrum Decision)1, and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,  
Whereas:  
(1) The radio communication system currently used for railway operations, namely Gl obal 
System for Mobile Communications – Rail (GSM -R), is based on specifications that 
were finalised twenty years ago and, due to technological obsolescence, industrial 
support for GSM -R is unlikely to be assured much after 2030. The Future Railway 
Mobile Communication System (FRMCS ) will succeed GSM -R as one of the essential 
elements of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) . It will 
support railway digitalisation and service innovation. GSM -R and its successor(s), 
including FRMCS, are desi gnated as Railway Mobile Radio (RMR).  
(2) Compared to GSM -R, FRMCS offers a higher quality of service, uses spectrum more 
efficiently and is more cost effective. The system is also planned to deliver more in 
terms of applications such as Automatic Train Operation (ATO) or the Connected 
Driver Advi sory System (C -DAS). Further applications are expected to be introduced 
progressively. Critical FRMCS railway applications like monitoring and control of 
critical infrastructure may be operated efficiently using narrow band IoT. FRMCS 
should be capable of integrating new applications and technological developments  
over an extended period of time as railway communication systems have a much 
longer life cycle compared to public electronic communications networks and services . 
(3) Therefore, frequency bands should  be harmonised to allow for the introduction of  
FRMCS.  
(4) In order to enable parallel operation of GSM -R and its successor during an 
approximately 10 -year migration phase from GSM -R to FRMCS and to benefit from 
new railway critical applications during and beyond migration, access to sufficient 
harmonised spectrum for RMR is essential . 
(5) In order to support a common approach to spectrum for RMR across the Union, the 
Commission issued a Mandate to the European Conference of Postal and 
                                                 
1 OJ L 108, 24.4.2002 , p. 1. EN 2  EN Telecommunications Adminis trations  (CEPT ) on 12 July 2018, and CEPT responded 
with its Report 74 on 3 July 2020 and Report 76 on 20 November 2020.  
(6) These reports, based on feasibility studies, assess the required amount of spectrum, 
identify the appropriate spectrum bands, and propo se harmonised technical conditions 
for FRMCS.  
(7) Report  74 in particular assesses coexistence with all applications in the adjacent 
frequency bands . 
(8) The harmonised technical conditions for RMR (FRMCS) base stations defined in 
CEPT Report  76 assume that  base s tations  providing electronic communications 
services (ECS), which use frequencies above 1920 MHz  for reception  under 
Commission Implementing Decision (EU)  2020/667, have enhanced selectivity 
compared to the current Harmonised European Standards . 
(9) The techni cal feasibility of using commercial mobile networks , taking into account 
wireless coverage and reliability needs of the railway system, was also considered in 
CEPT Report  74.  
(10) RMR receivers (base stations and cab -radios) should be robust against emissions in 
adjacent frequencies . 
(11) Only FRMCS systems using non-active antenna systems have  been considered in 
CEPT Report 76. Additional studies should be performed in case active antenna 
systems  are considered for FRMCS deployment . 
(12) As long as a Member State does not have railway lines in operation, it should be 
allowed to postpone the implementation of RMR spectrum harmonisation measures 
until such operation is planned . 
(13) Based on national demand , Member States should be allowed to vary the 
implementation date of RM R spectrum harmonisation measures  in the frequency band 
1990 -1910  MHz between 1 January 2022 and 1 January 2025  at the latest . 
(14) Reporting from all Member States to the Commission on the implementation of this 
Decision, including any developments in the area  of spectrum management having a 
negative impact on interoperability, would help assess its impact at Union level as well 
as its timely review.  
(15) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of 
the Radio Spectrum  Committee,  
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  
Article 1  
This Decision establishes  the harmonised conditions for the availability and efficient use of 
radio spectrum for the Railway Mobile Radio (RMR) in the bands 874.4 -880.0  MHz, 919.4 -
925.0  MHz and 1900 -1910  MHz.  
Article 2  
For the purposes of this Decision, t he following definitions shall apply : 
(a) ‘RMR terminal ’ is an item of  mobile radio equipment under the control of the RMR 
network ; EN 3  EN (b) ‘cab-radio ’ means a RMR terminal installed on  board the train capable of supporting 
voice an d data applications;  
(c) ‘equivalent isotropically radiated power (‘e.i.r.p.’)’ means  the product of the power 
supplied to the antenna and the absolute or isotropic gain in a given direction relative 
to an isotropic antenna.  
Article 3  
1. By 1 January 2022, Member States shall designate and make available on a non -exclusive 
basis the paired frequency bands 874.4 -880.0 MHz and 919.4 -925.0 MHz , in accordance 
with the Annex . 
2. At the latest between 1 January 2022 and 1 January 2025 , based on national demand, 
Member States shall designate and make available on a non -exclusive basis the unpaired 
frequency band 1900 -1910 MHz for Railway Mobile Radio, in accordance with the 
Annex.  
3. Member States shall ensure that networks using the frequency bands referred to in 
paragraph 1 give appropriate protection to systems in adjacent bands.  
4. Member States where no rail services are provided at the date of 1 January 2022 shall only 
apply paragraph 1 as soon as a rail line is planned to be activated . 
Article 4  
Member States shall report to the Commission on the implementation of this Decision by 
1 January  2025.  
Member States shall monitor the use by RMR  of the frequency bands subject to this Decision 
and report their findings, including any impacts on interoperability related  to spectrum issues, 
to the Commission upon request or at their own initiative to allow a timely review of this 
Decision, where needed.  
Article 5 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.  
Done at Brussels,  
 For the Commission  
 Thierry BRETON  
 
 Member of the Commission